The story truly doesn’t matter. It is just explosion, after explosion; visual effect after visual effect; product logo after product logo with a title like “Batman”, “Superman”, “Ironman”, “Pizza Man” or “Burger Man” or “Souvlaki Man”… and now “Wonder Woman” or “Galaxy of Super Kids”… with budgets of $100M, $100-200M, $200-300M or $300-500M.

The secret is “owning” the rights (very expensive option) to either a comic book hero (“Goofy”, “Batman”, “Wolverine”, “Thor”, etc.), a gaming character (“Mario Brothers”, “Pokemon”, etc.) or a YA (young adult) or MS (middle school) novel (“Hunger Games”, “Harry Potter”, “Hobbit”, “Diary Whimpy Kid”, “Captain Underpants”, etc.), and like real estate, flip the rights, to a company with a studio deal to deliver a franchise (Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, etc.)…

ODDS: 1:1,000,000! Near impossible. Fuhget about it…Play PowerBall.

(“Fast & Furious” is a Mega-Budget franchise that started as a Low-Budget movie.”)

(2) MEDIUM-BUDGET (0.0001% Chance of Success): This is a a Pre-Sell at Cannes with 50% government funding. Good theory but not likely.

A global co-production with an A-list Hollywood actor and an A-list actor from nation where you’re shooting, for that nation has a 40-50% Rebate, Refund or Tax Credit to utilize as long as you spend their money in their nation.

Genre movie, with two B-names, funded by 15 pre-sales to the 35 nations or territories at a film market like AFM, Cannes or EFM. I actually worked for a man, Roger Corman, between 1980-1985, who did this 20-30 times/year.

You need about $30-50K ($10-$20K to get 2-3 scripts, 4-5 posters, and an additional $20-30K for a room at either AFM, Cannes or EFM) to give it a shot.

And, with a gift of salesmanship to hustle foreign buyers who have never met you before… it is done.

(4) ULTRA-LOW-BUDGET(3.33% Chance of Success): This is a character driven story, a 25-28 day shoot, 7-10 practical locations, no stunts or effects, signing with the 3 guilds (WGA, DGA & SAG) Above-The-Line and non-union Below-The-Line with a fair chance of it obtaining a Producer’s Rep from ICM, CAA or WME and screening at Sundance, Cannes, Tribecca or Toronto.

This is a private placement dog-and-pony show, done by wealthy entrepreneurs, if you qualify you will need only $17-27K ($10-15K for script and casting, with another $7-12K for a private placement, with an offering memorandum) and an entertainment attorney to sell 10-20 units at $20-50K each.

ODDS: 1:30! Getting even better but still not Great.

(“Most Sundance Films are 25-28 day shoots, with superb acting and a character driven story.”)

It will be a 2-week (13-Day) shoot, shot where you grew up, with a local 12-15 person crew, 8-10 first-time actors and a lot of zombie makeup.

Also be called a private placement and when micro-budget ($100K) and with 20-30 friends/relatives (20-30 units at $3-5K/unit) you have a fair chance of raising money, making the movie, screening at a film festival, buying 50-60 tickets for the investors to attend and watch everyone smile… Oh yeah, you will also likely become an award winning filmmaker. Congrats.

ODDS: 1:10! Good. Got 20-30 friends/relatives who like you for $3-5K a unit.

(“Hi. I’m the author. Like this post, then you’ll love my super cheap 2-Day Film School (Dec 9-10, 2017 or April 21-22, 2018) with DVD or Streaming Formats also”.)

(6) MICRO-BUDGET (20.0% Chance of Success): No-brainer. Now get the 90-page, real-time script.

This is a 21st century millennial movie with a traditional film schood grad.

Things happen when you own a script, that takes place in real-time, and hit up your dad to become, what he actually is, your Executive Producer (“Dad gimme $50,000…please.”) and shoot a 1-week movie.

ODDS: 1:5! Good to Very Good. The lower your budget, the better the odds.

(“Tangerine” a recent Micro-Budget discovery at Sundance was a 90-minute, 1-location movie, shot in real time, with 2 Smart Phones… made by a millennial.”)

(7) NO-BUDGET (80.0% Chance of Success): This is a movie shot guerrilla style with 2 DSLRs or 2 iPhones, a 7 person crew and a food budget of burgers-n-fries that eventually costs $20,000.

This, “if you truly want to make-a-film”, will have you finding $10,000 (Uber, Starbucks & Whole Foods) as you get the great script to commence the project….

And this is where 95% of all filmmakers, who are now rich & famous, but didn’t have wealthy parents, started their careers.

ODDS: 4:5! Great to almost Guaranteed. Everyone has money for a “No-Budget” movie.

THE FINANCING ODDS

God likes people who are good humans, with work ethics and absolutely wants them to succeed for they become excellent role models for the rest of humanity.

From Spike Lee, to Ang Lee, to Chris Nolan, to Steven Spielberg, to Q Tarantino, to Will Smith… they are all nice individuals who started with a No-B, Micro-B or Low-B project and moved up.

The odds of success are good if you start at the bottom…and you’re a good person.

Thank you I appreciate your thoughts and knowledge. I’m 86 old an immigrant from former Russia. My autobiography book JIDS awarded in 2013 in NY by International Foundation. If you want to make a movie of it (better than Fiddler on the roof ) after my death who will pay for that? Such kind of movie is the best source for fighting anti-Semitism all around the world. If you are interested to work on it The Jewish Foundations will give you much more than you need. the book is on Kindle E BOOK, or I can send you by E mail. I’m a neurologist and never wrote anything but my scientific findings. And while studying English in ESL classes I wrote the book only for one purpose – to fight anti-Semitism. It is my only last wish to do it. With hope, Sofia Gelman

Want to make a successful independent film?

About Dov

About Dov S-S Simens

Dov S-S Simens after 12 years lecturing at NYU, UCLA & USC, was voted “America’s #1 Film Instructor” by the National Association of Film Schools and in 1996 formed the Hollywood Film Institute.

Over the past two decades Dov has travelled the globe and taught thousands in 34 nations, from industry pros like Quentin Tarantino, Will Smith & Guy Ritchie, to first-timers like Mark Archer, who for $25,000 produced “In the Company of Men” that grossed over $20 Million.

Mr. Simens, a revolutionary and former Green Beret, wanting film education to be available for everyone created his extremely affordable “2-Day Film School”, “DVD Film School” and “Online Film School” programs (see below) so that anyone with a dream, talent & work ethic can succeed as a producer, writer or director.